Santa Singh and Balwant Kaur Scholarship for Palestine Women

This scholarship provides up to $10,000 per year ($5,000 per semester), for up to 4.5 years.

One scholarship available.

To be eligible for this scholarship you must:

• be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident, a permanent humanitarian visa holder, or an asylum seeker^*
• identify as a woman
• have been born in Palestine / Gaza Strip / West Bank 
• be enrolling full-time in Semester 1 2027 (or part-time with extenuating circumstances) in a certificate IV^**, diploma, advanced diploma, associate degree or bachelor degree
• be able to demonstrate circumstance(s) that impact your ability to study, or be from an RMIT priority group, including:
  • living with a disability, long-term medical condition, or identify as neurodivergent
  • have experienced or currently experiencing significant personal or life difficulties
  • have relocated/will be relocating from interstate or a rural or regional area to Melbourne to study at RMIT (check eligibility using the Regional Adjustment Calculator)
  • are experiencing financial hardship, for example if you:
    • receive a Centrelink/Department of Veterans' Affairs low-income support payment, or
    • hold a low-income Centrelink Health Care Card
  • are an early school leaver, mature-age student, or you entered university via a TAFE pathway
  • are a current or former refugee
  • are from a low socioeconomic (low SES) background
  • have recently completed secondary schooling at a SNAP (School Network Access Program) school

^*Asylum seekers must hold either a:

• Temporary Protection Visa (V785) or
• Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) or
• Humanitarian Stay Visa (449) or
• Temporary Humanitarian Concern Visa (786) or
• Current bridging visa (that is in effect) that is linked to a permanent humanitarian visa application

We welcome applications from all eligible students. Preference will be given to applicants who migrated to Australia in 2023 or later.

^**Certificate IV apprenticeship programs are not eligible.

If you are an Asylum Seeker, please complete this online application.

If you are an Australian or New Zeland citizen, an Australian permanent resident or a permanent humanitarian visa holder, please complete this online application by the close date. Partial applications will not be assessed.  

Supporting documentation

Depending on your circumstances, you will need to provide different types of evidence and material to support your scholarship application. Applications without supporting documents will not be considered.

Please visit Supporting Your Application for more information.

Asylum seekers must provide a copy of your Visa Grant Notice and Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) Notice:

• your VEVO Notice must be valid within a month of your scholarship application submission date
• your current visa must include study rights, and if your study program includes a work placement, your current visa must include work rights too
• bridging visa applicants must also provide official documentation confirming their substantive visa application

Find out more about applying for scholarships.

Applications are now open. 

Timely applications: If you submit your Direct to RMIT Access and Equity Scholarship Application by 31 August 2026, we’ll let you know if we need any additional documentation.

Applications for Semester 1 2027 close 2:00pm Tuesday 20 October 2026. No late applications will be accepted.

View the Coursework Scholarships Office’s terms and conditions (PDF, 698KB).

Pretam Kaur, in memory of her parents, established the Santa Singh and Balwant Kaur Scholarship for Palestine Women to contribute to positive change in the community by assisting students who identify as women and who were born in Palestine reach their scholastic and career aims.

A message from Pretam Kaur:

"My father Santa Singh and my mother Balwant Kaur were born in British India in Punjab. They were illiterate, starving, poor, and came to British Malaya before 1940 as coolie labourers. I was born in Malaya in early 1945 when bombs were falling. In 1951, my mother wanted to send me to English school like my two older brothers. The Sikh community opposed my parents and shamed and ostracised them. The Punjabi school in the temple was considered sufficient for girls. English schools were meant only for boys.

My parents fought the entire community and sent me to English school with love and devotion. My parents supported my education even when they had no money. In 1965 I went to university, my brothers didn’t.

My parents’ gift of education changed my life. The story of their courage and determination has defined me. My parents and I share the history of these women.  We can't change our history, but by working together we can change our future, and help create a more peaceful, just world."

Find out how to contact the Coursework Scholarships Office.